Celticunderground:the Celtic Football Fan Podcast

What’s going on?   Who could have predicted, that going to Dubai, in the middle of the world’s worst pandemic in 100 years could end up being a PR disaster…?   Sunday night the news broke that we had a player with Covid. Then it started to come out that, due to the nature of everyone being in close proximity, 13 players and 3 coaches would be unavailable for the game against Hibs.  With perhaps a 5% chance still left of winning the league, we needed to win every game left this season and this wouldn’t give us the best chance of starting that run, yet we nearly achieved it.   Antony Murray and I discuss the game, the trip and basically ask - Celtic - What’s going on?!?   Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

2020 - A Year in Review   Twenty Twenty vision was hard work - a year of two halves.  We ran away with the league until Covid came and we were robbed of the 9iar celebrations.  When won a quadruple treble and again robbed of the celebrations.  In the grand scheme of things it will be just one year of missing going to games and there are worse things happening in the world however it hurt to miss them all the same.   It WAS supposed to be a review with @antonymurray25 and @hullbhoy @stephen4_2 and myself but for a variety of reasons it was just Saint & I but we still managed to ramble on for 2 hours reviewing the seasons past and present in 2020.   Hullbhoy and Antony will be on again soon.   Meantime, please enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

I don’t want to talk about it!   The maltesers edition.   And there it was - in the 62nd minute the final flickers of the 10iar dream were snuffed out when Nir Bitton climbed all over the back of Alfredo Morelos and Madden was presented with the opportunity to reduce us to 10 men and any chnce of clawing back the huge deficit went.   It wasn’t the Bitton sending off that killed the chances of winning the league and securing the 10.  The seeds of this defeat were sowed long ago with a various key points since February 2012 when, presented with an opportunity, Celtic made the wrong choice.  The key to losing the ten was when the club decided to focus on demoestic rather than European dominance.  Set your standards low and and you achieve low.   Antony Murray and I review a game which, for the first hour, was dominated by Celtic.   Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

Quadruple Treble   No illiterative headlines name for the podcast - it’s a simple history making name.  The remarkable dominance of Celtic over Scottish football continues as the third and final trophyof the 2019/20 season is secured and Celtic become world beaters by securing a fourth consecutive treble.   After a first 45 mins where we looked like we would go on to score 4 or 5 it was squeaky bum time and penalties were required.   I am joined by Antony Murray and Saint Anthony to discuss why that might have been, to review the game, the players, and the unique achievement of 4 trebles.  We also (briefly) preview the Ross County game.   Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

Custer’s Last Stand   And the hits just keep on coming…..this week it was St Johnstone.  Where do we go from here?  Is it down to the lake I fear?   After the Ferencvaros game Antnony Murray and I were very critical of the manager and after 30 mins I got St Anthony on to be the voice of reason and calm us all down.  Since then there has been no discernible improvement in performances and so we thought we’d get Saint back on.   We review the St Johnstone game, discuss the Cektic statement, try and think why the board are thinking as they are and then discussing whether we believe that 10iar can be saved.   After the analogies of Julius Ceaser, this week it’s Cowboys and Indians.   Enjoy…(if you can) This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

No longer surprising   Sorry to have such long breaks between podcasts, honestly, we’re not just waiting for defeats but I know many will be in the working every hour God sends boat at the moment and getting an hour to do a podcast is challenging.   Enough of that negativity - onto the hoops!  As you’ll hear on the podcast, Antony Murray has just been teaching Julius Ceaser and one quote from that came to mind that our coaches and board would do well to think about;   “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.”   Something has to change, new coaches, new attitudes, I don’t know, but something.   Here’s hoping it’s soon.   Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

Count The Trophies   Following the Scottish Cup Semi-Final victory Celtic are on course for another treble - 4 in a row would be quite incredible and you would assume that everything in the garden is rosy…but it’s not.  Thursday night saw another abysmal European result for the club and another performance were body language was dreadful on and off the pitch and it was hard to believe that this is a team coached to play together.   After the Feroncvaros defeat we had an immediate post game review (more of a rant) with myself and Antony Murray, later joined by the voice of reason Aint Anthony.  This time we decided to hold off for a few days for a more taional debate.   We discuss everything and go back 8 years in reviewing where we are just now.   Enjoy…   Don’t forget that antony can be found on twitter @antonymurray25 This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

Success in mind   Saturday’s result and performance could have been better…!   Rather than have a knee jerk rant, I thought it would be more appropriate to have some positive thinking on the podcast and who better than the guru of Scottish positive thinking, Mr Jack Black.   I first came across Jack around 1997 when my then boss handed me some audio tapes and said - I think this will be right up your street.  The days before Apple Car Play or even in car CDs, these tapes were of Jack’s Mindstore lectures and they were a huge eye opener.  At the time he was working with Rangers and it came as a revelation to me that he is actually a Celtic fan.  Even more of a revelation was that he was a fan of our podcast and so when I discovered this I knew I had to get him on.   Work, work and more work have got in the way of late and so it’s simply a coincidence that he is on straight after THAT Rangers performance.   If you want to know more about Jack after listening you can log onto https://www.mindstore.com/   He’s al

Antony Murray brings us episode 7 of the lifetime XI series. Many listeners have been enjoying the lifetime XI series of Antony Murray.  Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and this series is coming to a close, butnot before we have at least one more episode.  This week Antony returns and we have episode 7 of the series. Enjoy... This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

Celtic in the Black & White Era   There’s a new book out and St Anthony chats with the author, Steve Finan   This brand new book features hundreds of previously unseen classic Celtic photos from the glory days. Even if you know the history . . . have you seen it like this? These photos have lain hidden in archives for 40, 50 or even 60 years. They show the great events such as the European Cup triumph of 1967, Hampden in the sun, Gil Heron’s debut, the John Thomson tragedy, and the Leeds United European tie of 1970. There are also scores of behind-the-scenes photos, images of Celtic heroes of the past as you’ve never seen them, and “new” old photos of the great games. It is the ideal gift for any Celtic-minded person — nostalgia for those who remember, a chance to experience the halcyon days for those who don’t. There’s never been a Celtic book like this!   Enjoy... This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.su

Garbage   Tonight Celtic played a team who are vastly inferior to us.  They had three attempts on goal and scored with two of them.  Meantime our manager picked a starting 11 with no striker and didn’t bring one on until the 78th minute.  I get that Ajeti may not quite be fully fit and I fear Klimala not starting is because the manager doesn’t rate him.  what a s**t show   We wanted to get a podcast out and to your ears as quickly as possible and so we start with just Antony Murray and after 25 mins are joined by St Anthony.  We discuss what to do and don’t come up with solutions, just moans.   If you can, enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

Viva Espana   We have had a very eventful time of things both on and off the park at Celtic since our last podcast discussing the current squad.  In that last podcast Juco James disected the pros and cons (minus the pros) of continuing to play Scott Brown.  we then had the Killie game which was the usual purgatory on plastic.  We lack creativity and gave away a stupid goal and many fingers pointed at Jullien and Brown.  After that we had the Boli 24 hour Spanish holiday jaunt.  In between we signed Ajeti.   With all this going on we needed a podcast and we needed some calm heads and so we have Hullbhoy and Duncan to discuss all this and more.     Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

Antony Murray returns to discuss the all time Celtic XI of another hoops fan.  This week Paul Rutherford picks his favourite Celtic XI with some alternative options from the norm. Enjoy... This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

The first game of the new season has just finished with a 5-1 victory over Hamilton so if you're looking for Celtic chat, we have episode 5 of the Lifetime XI podcasts.  It's the first official podcast of our 15th season and features our old friend Lawrence Donegan. He's had plenty of time to get the pronunciations correct so hopefully no mangling. It's Antony Murray with Lawrence Donegan's best XI. Enjoy... This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

Big Data, The Squad and Brown   Data and statistics are increasingly playing a big part in sport but our guest today suggests that football remains largely in the dark ages in this field.  His belief is that this is changing, and rapidly and those clubs that are late adopters will find themselves at a long term disadvantage.   For those who follow him on twitter, @Jucojames has been at the forefront of detailing the numbers behind Celtic performances and, once we get past how he ended up being a Celtic numbers fanatic, we use the data to discuss the elephant in the room - at his age should Brown be playing so much football?    I’ll not do a spoiler but your head will tell you what your heart denies on that one.   Hope you enjoy the podcast - all 2 hours!   Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

This week we continue with Antony Murray discussing with guests their all time Celtic XI.  This week the guest is our very own Lachie Mor.  Regular listeners will know that Lachie has been attending games since before Stein and so with an array of talent to choose from including the Lions, the first 9iar team and the Seville team his all time XI will be an interesting listen. Enjoy... This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

It's a simple concept, get a guest on and ask them to choose their favourite/best all time Celtic eleven but sometimes the simplest things are the best things and today we bring you episode 3.  Hosted by Antony Murray listen and decide if you agree.    If you don't tweet myself or Antony or email podcasts@celticunderground.net and we'll get you on. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

Transfers and season books   Most of our output during these past few footballless months have been our specialist series - the 9iar chronicles and the new Lifetime 11 podcast series.  There has been little else going on bar the season-book stooshie but far more important things going on in wider life and therefore we haven’t been as prolific as usual on the podcasts.  We decided that needed to change!   We contacted Lawrence Donegan and Antony Murray and had a chat about all that is going on at our club - transfer gossip, season book sales and preparation for the new season.  It’s all here in spades.   Sponsored by Ask Jeeves and My Space   Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

It's like buses, you wait for ages and then they come along with the frequency of, well, buses!  It's episode two of the Celtic Lifetime XI podcast from Antony Murray.  This week his guest is Kes Devaal. Both guys can be found on Twitter @KesDevaal and @antonymurray25 This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

This is the first in a series of Celtic Underground podcast where Antony Murray discusses with guests their lifetime Celtic XI. This week Antony chats with Gregg Kennedy to review his Lifetime XI. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe